The History of Blacks in the NHL
Summary
TLDRThe documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the underrepresented history of Black athletes in ice hockey, highlighting their struggles and achievements. It features stories from the past, such as the Maritime Colored Hockey League, established by Black Nova Scotians in the late 1800s, to present-day players like Jaylen Lindo, striving for a spot in the NHL. The film delves into the challenges faced by Black players, including racism and the lack of representation, while also showcasing their passion and contributions to the sport.
Takeaways
- 🎬 The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the history and future of black athletes in ice hockey.
- 🏒 The film is being showcased at the Roxberry International Film Festival, indicating its cultural and artistic significance.
- 📽 A clip from the documentary suggests a lack of ice rinks in certain communities, limiting access to the sport for young children.
- 🤔 The director, Kwame Mason, was inspired to make the film due to a personal disconnect feeling from the predominantly white sport of hockey.
- 🏅 The Maritime Colored Hockey League, active from 1895 to 1930, was the first organized sports league for black athletes in North America.
- 👀 The documentary features present-day and future hockey players, including Jaylen Lindo, illustrating the ongoing journey and aspirations of black athletes.
- 🏆 The film reveals that the Maritime Colored Hockey League may have innovated playing styles, such as the butterfly style of goaltending.
- 📚 The history of black athletes in hockey has been largely overlooked or forgotten, which the documentary aims to correct.
- 😢 The emotional recounting of Herb Carnegie's story, a talented player denied a chance in the NHL, highlights the racial barriers of the past.
- 🤷♂️ The debate over whether Carnegie should have taken minor league offers to break the color barrier is still relevant today.
- 🌟 Despite past and present racial incidents, there is a sense of progress in making hockey more inclusive for all players.
Q & A
What is the documentary 'Soul on Ice' about?
-The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the past, present, and future of black athletes in ice hockey, highlighting their experiences, challenges, and contributions to the sport.
Why did Kwame Mason decide to make 'Soul on Ice'?
-Kwame Mason made 'Soul on Ice' because he felt a disconnect growing up in Canada not seeing many black athletes in hockey, and he wanted to share the rich history and stories of black players in the sport that he discovered during his research.
What is the significance of the Maritime Colored Hockey League mentioned in the documentary?
-The Maritime Colored Hockey League, active from approximately 1895 to 1930, was the first organized sports league for blacks in North America. It was innovative, possibly inventing the slap shot and pioneering the butterfly style of goaltending.
Who was Herb Carnegie and why is he significant in the history of black athletes in hockey?
-Herb Carnegie was considered one of the best players of his time but never got the chance to play in the NHL, possibly due to racism. He created the first hockey school in North America and was a mentor to Jean Bello, who played for the Boston Bruins.
What was the reaction to Herb Carnegie's decision not to take offers from the New York Rangers to play in the minor leagues?
-There is debate over why Herb Carnegie didn't take the offers, with some suggesting he felt undermined by being asked to play in the minor leagues when he was already successful and others comparing it to Jackie Robinson's situation, where he had to prove he could handle abuse in the minor leagues.
What was the experience of Val James, a black hockey player, like when he faced racism during his career?
-Val James encountered nasty racism, including racial slurs and being taunted by fans. The documentary includes footage from a 1981 CBS feature where people interviewed were proud of their racist behavior towards him.
How does Kwame Mason reflect on his own experiences with racism in hockey?
-Kwame Mason recalls a childhood incident where a kid told him he couldn't be his favorite player, Gila Flur, because Flur was white, highlighting the lack of role models for black children in the sport.
What has changed in terms of inclusivity in hockey according to the documentary?
-The documentary suggests that while there are still issues, the NHL and minor leagues have made efforts to make hockey more inclusive, with kids today looking at themselves as part of a big group and having role models that are more diverse.
What is the role of Jaylen Lindo in the documentary 'Soul on Ice'?
-Jaylen Lindo is portrayed as a minor league hockey player hoping to get drafted into the NHL, serving as a contemporary example of a black athlete striving for success in the sport.
How does the documentary address the historical erasure of black contributions to hockey?
-The documentary addresses historical erasure by highlighting the achievements and innovations of black players and leagues that have been overlooked or forgotten, such as the Maritime Colored Hockey League.
What is the significance of the documentary being shown at the Roxberry International Film Festival?
-Showing 'Soul on Ice' at the Roxberry International Film Festival signifies the recognition and importance of telling underrepresented stories in sports, particularly the contributions of black athletes in ice hockey.
Outlines
🏒 'Soul on Ice': The Journey of Black Athletes in Hockey
The documentary 'Soul on Ice' is showcased at the Roxberry International Film Festival, exploring the history and presence of black athletes in ice hockey. The film features a clip discussing the excitement of the game and the lack of access to ice rinks in certain communities, leading to a limited number of black players. It highlights the cultural differences and the barriers that have historically prevented black athletes from participating in the sport. The director, Kwame Mason, shares his personal connection to the sport and the motivation behind creating the documentary. The film also delves into the Maritime Colored Hockey League, established in the late 1800s by black settlers in Nova Scotia, which was the first organized sports league for black people in North America. It discusses the innovative playing styles that originated there, such as the butterfly style of goaltending. The documentary aims to rewrite history by acknowledging the contributions of black athletes to the sport of hockey.
😢 Overcoming Racism in Hockey: The Struggles and Triumphs
The second paragraph of the script focuses on the personal stories of black hockey players, including the emotional recounting of history by Herb Carnegie, who was a mentor to Jean Bello of the Montreal Canadians. Carnegie, despite his talent, never played in the NHL, possibly due to racism. The paragraph also touches on the debate surrounding his decision not to accept offers from the New York Rangers' minor league team. The discussion continues with a look at the racism faced by Val James, as depicted in a 1981 CBS feature, where he endured racial slurs and derogatory treatment. The conversation shifts to the present, with the director reflecting on his own experiences and the current state of inclusivity in hockey. While progress has been made, with organizations like the NHL and minor leagues working to create a more inclusive environment, challenges remain as racial incidents still occur. The conversation concludes with Kwame Mason expressing hope for continued progress and a more inclusive future for the sport.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Soul on Ice
💡Roxberry International Film Festival
💡Hockey Culture
💡Barriers
💡Maritime Colored Hockey League
💡Herb Carnegie
💡Butterfly Style of Goaltending
💡Inclusivity
💡Role Models
💡Racism
💡Val James
Highlights
The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the history and present of black athletes in ice hockey.
The film is being showcased at the Roxberry International Film Festival.
The documentary features Jaylen Lindo, a minor league player aiming for the NHL.
The Maritime Colored Hockey League, established in the late 1800s, was the first organized sports league for blacks in North America.
The league was created by black settlers from Nova Scotia as a response to racial segregation in sports.
Innovations like the butterfly style of goaltending originated in the Maritime Colored Hockey League.
Herb Carnegie, a black player, was one of the best of his time but never played in the NHL due to racism.
Carnegie's story is a poignant example of missed opportunities in the NHL.
The film discusses the challenges faced by black players, including racial slurs and exclusion.
Val James, the first black player in the NHL, faced significant racism during his career.
The documentary includes interviews with historians and players, providing a rich historical context.
The film highlights the importance of representation and role models in sports for black youth.
Kwame Mason, the director, shares his personal connection to the sport and the motivation behind making the film.
The documentary aims to rewrite history by acknowledging the contributions of black athletes in ice hockey.
The film shows the evolution of attitudes towards race in hockey, from past to present.
Despite progress, racism still exists in hockey, as shared by personal anecdotes in the documentary.
The documentary ends on a hopeful note, emphasizing the potential for a more inclusive future in hockey.
Transcripts
the past present and future of black
athletes in ice hockey that's the
subject of an award-winning documentary
being shown at the Roxberry
International Film Festival which kicks
off today it's called soul on Ice here's
a clip the game is exciting but in the
hood growing up there's no ice rinks you
don't really get to
play if kids in in grade school had ice
hockey as part of their gym you don't
think we'd have some phenoms by the time
they get to high school you kidding me
is not really part of our culture like
basketball and football are but it's
exciting from what I've
seen I've been hearing things like this
my whole life about the game I fell in
love with at a young
age as a Canadian it's what we're known
for but I'm Canadian so why did I feel
like it wasn't for me was it because I
didn't see me or was it because I didn't
hear about me today it's a lot different
it almost seems like they came out in
nowhere but you know there's always the
first those who broke down the barriers
those who persevered through adversity
and those who played the game cuz it's
in their soul joining me now is the
director of Soul on Ice Kwame Mason
Kwame thanks for coming in thank you for
having me so I I got to confess to you
I'm only about halfway through the film
but it's fascinating and I want to ask
you about How It Ends but I'm going to
go watch it tonight instead spoilers why
did you make this fil you know um I grew
up in Toronto and in Canada um it's a
hockey world out there I always tell
people you know when you're born in
Canada the first thing they do is give
you a stick and I Lov the game and I
felt a disconnect for a lot of years
growing up um not seeing a lot of black
athletes in the game of hockey and then
when you know I got older I was a radio
announcer for 13 years and I wanted to
transition and I always wanted to do
film and I wanted to do something that I
was very passionate about which was
hockey and at that time I also thought
again like there's still not a lot of
black athletes out there but in doing
some research I found a long-standing
history and so I thought well if this is
stuff that I don't know how many people
don't know I got to ask you about that
history because you go back and forth
between uh present day or maybe the
future of hockey people like this uh
this incredibly appealing protagonist
Jaylen Lindo who's a minor league hockey
player hoping to get drafted in the NHL
but you bounce back and forth between
him and other uh young people and this
deep which in some cases is totally
forgotten so along those lines what was
the maritime colored Hockey League okay
so back in the 1800s about approximately
1895 to about 1930 the blacks that
settled into Nova Scotia these are um uh
gener a generation passed from Those Who
Came From The Underground Railroad that
settled into to Nova Scotia they wanted
to participate in what everybody was
doing in the community which was hockey
but because racial uh there was still
that racial divide there they figured
well okay if we can't play with the
white players well let's start up our
own league so that's exactly what they
did so the different regions they
started up their own teams they went to
the churches they got the young men
together and they started up these
Hockey League this Hockey League that
became actually the first organized
Sports league for blacks in all of North
America before baseball basketball or
football it was Innovative league right
The Slap Shot may have been invented
there and also goalies could play in a
different way there and the NHL ended up
following how could what could goalies
do in time okay so um back then um for a
very long time a lot of the goalies
stood up and if you watch old film
you'll see them standing up but in Mar
times they allow their goal tenders to
go and flop on the ice which is now
considered the gold uh the butterfly
style of gold tending what everone does
right I mean it's how you play G that's
it I was blown away when you recounted
this history and you had a historian I
can't remember if it was white or a
black historian but it doesn't really
matter they they said that when they
talked to some people about photos from
this league they were told it was a
Vaudeville act even people who are
supposed to know history had forgotten
it or we're never aware of it I think
sometimes it's hard because you're going
to have to rewrite a little bit of
history now okay so all these um big
hockey historians that have talked about
hockey from the beginning of time never
included the contributions of black
athletes so now when someone says that
oh I'm sorry what about this they have
to kind of deflect that it's funny cuz
here in the US I mean people who know
baseball know all about the Negro
Leagues yeah you know as problematic as
they were the separation of black and
white you're aware of it as a seminal
part of the game exactly U who was herb
Carnegie oh man herb Carnegie was
considered one of the best players of
his time never to get the chance to play
in the NHL and some say that was because
of racism now herb Carnegie was a man
who actually created the first hockey
School in in in all of uh North America
um you know Jean Bello who played for
the story Montreal Canadians I'm sorry
Boston but he uh he was he considered
herb Carnegie his mentor so this was a
man that should have been the first
black athlete to play in the NHL but
that went to willly O re there's a
really poignant shot in the film where
you and I got to say you you're you're
not in the film some documentarians put
themselves in the film too much you're
kind of in just the right amount um
there's a shot where you I think have
your arm around her and he's tearing up
he's crying as he recounts this history
which is really powerful to see he got
three offers from the New York Rangers
right to go play for their minor league
team it was it Connecticut somewhere yes
yes why didn't he take those offers well
you know that that's that will always be
debated I think you know from his point
of view um here he is um he was nearing
his 30s so his career would be um you
know ending soon he's already famous
he's already famous he's already getting
paid a lot of money playing um in the
the the the Quebec league and so now he
felt like they were undermining him and
undermining his skill because he's
looking at it like this I'm just as good
as those guys why would you want to do
this to me but on the other side some
say it's just like the Jackie Robinson
way of you want them to prove that they
can handle the abuse in a minor league
and there was I can't remember his name
but a black hockey historian who is
still palpably frustrated that uh that
um that herb Carnegie didn't take these
offers wish wish he done it well you
know you never know what the outcome of
it would have been uh I I would love to
talk to you for 30 more minutes I think
we got about one uh you show part of a
1981 CBS feature on a guy named Val
James encountering really nasty racism
as he plays hockey let's take a look at
at some of that
footage the chant of spook spook just
one epithet from a poison garden of
racial SL
flung at Val James when he plays hockey
in Salem Virginia they actually
interviewed people that were actually
doing this and these people were proud
of themselves they have the one guy
standing there holding a watermelon and
he's just as proud as punch ah I
couldn't think of anything else he more
like yeah um I know when you were a
young man playing hockey did you run
into anything that
nasty you know when I played on the
streets with my friends the one thing
that always stood out to me was my
favorite player was Gila Flur and you
know anybody that plays hockey on the
street you you you pick the favorite
player you are and I remember this one
kid said to me you can't be Gila Flur
because Gila Flur is white and that
always stuck to me and it it it put me
in that sense of well who can I be who
is my role models and it's it's a shame
but I think the the the lesson here is
you just have to look and you'll find
that role model somewhere so my question
for you do you think that that sort of
mindset still applies today or do you
have black kids pretending that they're
Sydney Crosby and white kids pretending
they're PK suban I think we're in a
different time I think we're we have the
advantage where these kids nowadays look
at themselves as in a big group and I
think you know they'll still have
problems I still have parents telling me
that they have situations of their kids
getting called the nword or whatever
have you be in in the hockey rings but
for the most part the NHL a lot of the
minor leagues have cramped cramped down
and they have given this place uh this
game of hockey and atmosphere for
everybody to make it inclusive kwami
Mason thank you can't wait to see the
enjoy it enjoy it thank you
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